Nail polish brush guide



y 10, 1951 A. M KINNEY, JR 2559,25

- NAIL POLISH BRUSH GUIDE Filed Sept. 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July w, 1951 A. M KINNEY, JR 2,559,825

NAIL POLISH BRUSH GUIDE Filed Sept. 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ti 5.4 n. TE. EL

flmz Mimme mp Patented July 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NAIL POLISH BRUSH GUIDE Ansel McKinney, J r., Berkeley, Calif. Application September 12, 1945, Serial No. 615,711

11 Claims. 1

The invention relates to a novel device to prevent smearing the cuticle of the fingers when applying polish tothe finger nails, the device being similar to that disclosed in my U. S. Patent 2,242,016 of May 13, 1941, in that it includes a brush-guiding finger and means for connecting it with the brush-carrying cap of a finger nail polish bottle, said finger being swingable inward- 1y into cooperative relation with the brush.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means whereby the brush-guiding finger and the cap may be more easily connected and disconnected than in the patented device, regardless Of the size or design of the cap.

Another object is to make novel provision for allowing easy adjustment of the brush-guiding finger according to the length of the cap-carried brush.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one manner of using the device.

Figures 2 and 3 are side elevations at right angles to each other showing the device attached to the brush-carrying cap of a nail polish bottle.

Figure 4. is a vertical sectional view on line 45 of Fig. 2, on a somewhatenlarged scale.

Figures 5 and 6 are vertical sectional views on lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Figure 7 is a detail horizontal section on line 1-! of Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary disassembled per- 35 spective view.

'A preferred construction has been illustrated and will be rather specifically described, with the understanding, however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

Two U-shaped spring metal clips III are provided to straddle the side wall H of a cap I2 which carries the usual polish-applying brush l3, said clips ||l being disposed in spaced substantially parallel planes and each having a relatively short inner arm M for disposition at the inner side of the wall II, and a comparatively long outer arm Hi to lie against the exterior of said wall. Each arm l5 has a return bend l6, and the terminals of the two return bends are bent substantially upon themselves as shown at IT. The upper ends of the arms l4 are integrally connected by a tie member I8, this tie member being shown of inverted V-shape with its apex forming a detent l9 to engage the usual internal screw thread l2 of the cap l2. After the clips I!) are initially forced astride the wall turning of the cap I2 in the proper direction with respect to said clips, will upwardly thread the detent I9, drawing said clips solidly in place and holding them rigidly connected with the cap.

The brush-guiding finger is denoted at 28, said finger being preferably molded from suitable plastic. At one end, the finger 26B is formed with a relatively wide and thick finger plate 2| and the other end 22 of said finger is very thin and flexible to abut the cuticle of a finger nail and prevent the brush bristles from contacting therewith. The finger is also preferably narrowed between its ends as shown at 23 to permit it to yield edge- Wise for more convenient operation.

The finger plate 2| is formed with two longitudinal recesses 2 3 which are preferably in the form of grooves having under-cut side walls. These recesses frictionally receive the return bends l6 and their bent terminals I! thus effectively connecting the finger with the attaching clips l0. Moreover, this connection permits longitudinal adjustment of the finger 2D with respect tothe clips H), according to the length of the-brush I3. Thus, as the clips I0 may be readily engaged-with any nail polish bottle cap, regardless of the size and design of the latter, and the brush-guiding finger 29 may be adjusted according to the length of the brush, the present invention is readily applicable to any of the various styles and sizes of brush-carrying caps now commonly used.

When the device is attached to the cap, the finger 2B normally occupies a position substantiall y parallel with the brush and in such position will not interfere with clipping of thebrush into the bottle contents. By jointly gripping the cap and the finger plate 2|, for example as seen in. Fig. 1, the device may be readily handledand inward pressure on the plate 2| will move the finger-20 into cooperative relation with the brush l3, so that the flexible end 22 of said finger may readily follow the nail cuticle and may not only guide the brush 13 but will serve as a barrier to prevent any of the polish from being smeared onto the cuticle. If the cap I2 is to be replaced on a bottle of polish, the attachment must of course be removed, but an extra cap may well be kept on hand to close the bottle and obviate said removal of the attachment.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the device is simple, inexpensive, attractive and advantageous, and while preferences have been disclosed, attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A nail polish brush guide for attachment to an annular side wall of a nail polish bottle cap carrying a nail polish brush, comprising a U- shaped spring clip adapted to straddle the annular side wall of a bottle cap, said clip having inner and outer arms to frictionally grip the cap wall between them, the outer arm of said clip having a return bend spaced laterally outward from it, and a. brush-guiding finger connected with said return bend to extend longitudinally of the cap-carried brush, said return bend being springable to permit inward swinging of the free end of said finger into cooperative relation with the cap-carried brush when said clip is engaged with the cap.

2. A nail polish brush guide comprising a U- shaped spring clip adapted to straddle the side wall of a brush-carrying bottle cap, the outer arm of said clip having a return bend, and a brushguiding finger having a longitudinal recess in one end into which said return bend extends to yieldebly connect said finger with said clip, permitting said finger to be swung inwardly into cooperative relation with the brush when said clip is engaged with the cap.

3. A nail polish brush guide comprising a U- shaped spring clip adapted to straddle the side wall of a brush-carrying bottle cap, the outer arm of said clip having a return bend, and a brushguiding finger having a longitudinal recess in one end into which said return bend extends slidably to yieldably and adjustably connect said finger with said clip, permitting said finger to be longitudinally adjusted and allowing it to be swung inwardly into cooperative relation with the brush when said clip is engaged with the cap.

a. A structure as specified in claim 2; the terminal of said return bend being bent substantially upon itself to frictionally engage the wall of said recess. I

5. A structure as specified in claim 3; the terminal of said return bend being bent substantially upon itself to frictionally engage the wall of said recess and hold said finger in adjusted position.

6. A nail polish brush guide for attachment to h an internally screw threaded annular side wall of a nail polish bottle cap carrying a nail polish brush, comprising a one-piece resilient wire attaching member including two substantially parallel U-shaped spring clips adapted to straddle the annular side wall of a brush carrying bottle cap, the inner arms of the clips being connected by a tie portion, the outer arms of side clips having return bends, the terminals of said return bends being bent substantially upon themselves,

and a brush-guiding finger having two longitu- 7' dinal recesses in one end in which said return bends and their bent terminals are frictionally received, said return bends, permitting inward springin or said finger into cooperative relation with the cap-carried brush when said clips are engaged with the cap.

7 '7. A structure as Specified in claim 6; said tie member having a detent to engage the internal screw thread of the cap to hold said clips against accidental sliding from the cap.

8. The combination with a nail polish bottle cap having an annular side wall and a centrally positioned nail polish applying brush fixed in said cap, of a U-shaped spring clip straddling the edge of said annular side wall of said cap and frictionally engaging both the inner and outer faces thereof, and a brush-guiding finger carried by the outer portion or" said clip and spaced laterally outward from said brush, said'finger having a free end to abut the cuticle of a finger nail, the portion of said clip carrying said finger being resilient and permitting inward swinging of the free end of said finger into cooperative relation with the cap-carried brush.

9. The combination of claim 8 in which said cap side wall is internally screw threaded and in which the inner portion of said clip carries a detent engaging the threads in the cap.

10. The combination of claim 8 in which said finger and the outer portion of said clip have slidably and irictionally engaged portions to perrnit the free end of said finger to be adjusted longitudinally of the cap-carried brush.

11. A nail polish brush guide for attachment to a removable cap of a nail polish bottle, the cap having an annular side wall and carrying a nail polish brush, comprising a U-shaped spring clip of resilient metal adapted to be applied over the edge of the annular side wall of a brush-carrying bottle cap, said clip having an inner arm to enter the cap and frictionally engage the inner face of its annular wall, an outer arm to frictionally engage the outer face of the cap wall and a return bend on said outer arm, said return bend being disposed substantially parallel with said outer arm and being springable toward and from the latter, and a brush-guiding finger fixed to said return bend, the free end of said finger being adapted to abut the cuticle finger nail and the resilience of said return bend permitting inward swinging of the free end of said finger into 00'- operative relation with the cap-carried brush when such clip is connected with the cap, said return bend and said finger having slidably and frictionally engaged portions permitting the free end of said finger to be adjusted longitudinally of the cap-carried brush.

ANSEL McKINNEY, J R.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 345,666 Bradford July 20, 1886 1,052,306 Baumgart Feb. 4, 1913 1,599,669 Mitchell Sept. 14, 1926 2,242,016 McKinney, Jr May 13, 1941 2,291,343 Millstone et al. July 28, 1942 

